Page 35 - The Exceptional Harley Fetterman

THE EXCEPTIONAL HARLEY FETTERMAN

During Harley's surgery, a portion of his skull was removed in
order to cut away as much of the tumor as possible. Then, the skull
bone that had been removed was replaced using sutures. Harley spent
one stressful night in PICU. By the end of the second day, Harley was
up and entertaining more family in his room: Fetterman grandparents,
Jerry and Cissie, with Uncle Kerry Fetterman and his wife, Debbie.
By the fourth day, Dr. Wilson, who stopped by a few moments to play
Nerf Ball with Harley, released him from the hospital stating there
was absolutely no need for him to be there.

He started chemotherapy two weeks later, on August 19 , about the
th
same time he started Kindergarten. Eight weeks into his
chemotherapy he could see nothing at all. Harley's parents could no
longer think in terms of pursuing any type of “normal” life. Harley
started running into walls; he couldn't see to write his name on the
sign-up sheet in the mornings; he couldn't find his way to the
restroom; he couldn't make his way up to the front of the church for
the “Kid's Sermon”. It was a devastating realization for Kevin and
Beth to find him sitting alone after school on the sidewalk head
drooping down in silence. He wasn't even aware that his parents had
arrived to pick him up and were standing very close to him. Harley
had always been a very social kid known for being silly right in the
middle of his group of friends. Now he sat separate and alone. It was
a tremendous reality shock!
When the quality of Harley's vision fluctuated weekly, his low
vision specialist explained that Harley had virtually no peripheral
vision in either eye. His best vision was through his right eye in the
lower left zone. This helped Harley to realize he could see better if he
focused on objects within this area. During scheduled breaks from
chemotherapy treatment, Harley discovered that his eyesight would
slightly improve. He could see enough to wave through the bus
window at his mom who waited with his dog at the bus stop. He
grinned with excitement as he declared, “I see Sasha, Mom!”

Yet life's unpredictable roller coaster ride began again. Harley's
relief-filled joy was soon replaced with dread when his eyesight got
worse again as he resumed chemotherapy. Harley's optimistic doctor
told him about many documented cases of patients with the same type
of tumor regaining their eyesight when the tumor was eventually
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